2025/11/10 by Chih‐Huang Yu, Sarah E. Foidel, George Tomlin · 1 voice
Health Professions · Medicine · #Cerebral Palsy and Movement Disorders #Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies #Occupational Therapy Practice and Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.7224/1537-2073.2025-013
openalex created_date 2025/11/10 · openalex publication_date 2025/11/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/14
Background: The effectiveness of occupational therapy (OT) services for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been updated since the last systematic review in 2010, particularly outcomes within the scope of OT practice. The objective of this systematic review was to appraise evidence published since 2011 on the effectiveness of interventions within the scope of OT practice for activities of daily living (ADL) and sleep in adults with MS. Methods: Quantitative studies (Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence 1b through 3b) from January 2011 through July 2023 were systematically reviewed through 3 literature searches performed in January 2019, February 2022, and July 2023 using the Medline, APA PsycInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, OTseeker, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Inclusion criteria were adult participants with MS and OT-related interventions that addressed ADL or sleep. All authors independently screened titles and abstracts and then appraised full-text articles. Then at least 2 authors analyzed and grouped included articles into outcomes of interest. Risk of bias for study quality and strength of evidence were then analyzed. Results: The review included 45 studies on sleep, falls and functional mobility, toileting hygiene (continence), sexual activity, and general ADL. Cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness training, targeted exercise programs, and counseling using the Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestions, and Intensive Therapy model or the Good Enough Sex model were effective in adults with MS. Conclusions: Occupational therapists can provide interventions using the above approaches, which have been shown to empirically improve ADL function and sleep outcomes. Researchers, consumers, and practitioners should consider demographic and diagnostic differences when generalizing these findings.